Weekly Japanese Industry and Policy News (January 5-January 11, 2024)

The EU-Japan Centre is pleased to start a new weekly service by publishing brief summary of the latest information from the Japanese governmental organizations & private companies/organizations. A couple of minutes reading to be informed about what is happening in Japan's policy, economy, EU-Japan relations, and innovation.

*Information is deemed correct at the time of release. 

Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism cancels communication of takeoff order following Haneda Airport accident
Following the January 2 collision between Japan Airlines and a Japan Coast Guard aircraft at Haneda Airport, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism compiled emergency measures on January 9 to prevent a recurrence. When giving instructions to aircraft from air traffic controllers, they will no longer communicate the order of takeoff using things like "number one." The monitoring system for air traffic controllers will also be strengthened, including constant visual inspection of display screens that prevent aircraft from entering the runway incorrectly.

The accident appears to have been caused by a combination of multiple human errors, including a misinterpretation of control instructions by the Japan Coast Guard aircraft. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism will consider more drastic countermeasures once the cause of the accident is determined. Air traffic control at Haneda Airport has stopped using words to indicate takeoff order since January 8, and the practice will be expanded to all airports in the future. If a pilot makes an inquiry to air traffic control, they will respond individually.

As part of its emergency measures, the ministry has been deploying full-time air traffic controllers to constantly check this function at Haneda Airport since January 6. Similar measures will be taken at six other airports that have the same functionality, including Narita and Kansai International. The accident occurred around 5:50 p.m. on January 2. A JAL plane bound for Haneda from Sapporo entered Runway C for landing and collided with a Japan Coast Guard aircraft on the runway, causing both planes to burst into flames. Five of the six crew members of the Japan Coast Guard aircraft were killed. All 379 passengers and crew on the JAL plane evacuated.

Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism website (in Japanese):
https://www.mlit.go.jp/report/press/content/001717135.pdf

Asahi Kasei develops high-precision semiconductor that can monitor infant breathing
Asahi Kasei will start mass producing new semiconductor chips as early as October 2024. By incorporating the chip into a sensor, the precision can be increased to the point where it can distinguish minute movements such as infants' breathing, making it effective in reducing accidents where infants are left behind in cars. Starting in 2025, Europe will require vehicles to be equipped with sensors that can detect when children are left behind in the Euro NCAP car safety assessment. In Japan, it is now compulsory for kindergarten buses to be equipped with safety equipment.

Asahi Kasei's new semiconductor was developed by its subsidiary Asahi Kasei Electronics. Millimeter waves, which have short wavelengths, are used to detect objects. Collaborating with Canadian startup PontSense (Toronto) on detection methods. In addition to children, it can also be used to watch over elderly people in residences. The developed semiconductor chip“AK5818” has an improved ability to distinguish between people and objects, and is said to be 75% more accurate than previous products on the market. Its strength lies in its unique frequency control technology, which allows it to detect not only the shape of an object but also the slightest movements such as breathing.

European and American manufacturers have been leading the way in developing semiconductors for detecting items left behind in cars. Semiconductor giants Infineon Technologies of Germany and Texas Instruments (TI) of the United States are involved in this field, and although Asahi Kasei is a latecomer, it is entering the market by leveraging its strengths in sensor technology. Regarding abandoned car accidents, in 2023, an accident occurred in Kitakyushu City where a 0-year-old boy died after being left behind in the outdoor parking lot of a large supermarket. There is an urgent need to spread the use of systems that alert those around you through warning sounds and other means, and automakers are expected to increase their adoption in the future.

Asahi Kasei website:
https://www.asahi-kasei.com/news/2023/e240109.html

Sony Honda partners with Microsoft to equip EVs with generation AI
Sony Honda Mobility, a joint venture between the Sony Group and Honda, announced on January 8 that it will partner with Microsoft to develop an interactive system using generative AI. It will be installed in the electric vehicle (EV) "AFEELA" currently being developed by Sony Honda.

The announcement was made at a pre-press conference held by Sony G at the CES technology trade show that opened on January 9 in Las Vegas, USA. Utilizing Microsoft's cloud service Azure OpenAI Service, it will be possible to send instructions to the car by talking to AI. Microsoft's Jessica Hawk was also present at the press conference.

Sony Honda also announced that it will utilize AI for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). For ADAS that uses cameras, they will consider using LiDAR, which uses laser light to measure the distance and direction to obstacles.

Sony Honda Mobility website:
https://www.shm-afeela.com/en/news/2024-01-08_4/

Private sector experts recommend ambitious goals for population policy to the government: “Growth potential with 80 million people”
On January 9, the Population Strategy Council, made up of private sector experts, announced the “Population Vision 2100,” a strategy that Japan should take as its population declines. The government expects the population to halve by 2100, to around 63 million people, but the council set a goal of stabilizing it at around 80 million people through measures such as the declining birthrate. It aims to create a society that can grow even as the population decreases. On January 9, Honorary Chairman Mimura of Nippon Steel, who serves as the chairman, met with Prime Minister Kishida at the Prime Minister's Office and handed over his recommendations.

The current proposal points to the fact that the birth rate rose to 1.45 in 2015 and then fell to an all-time low of 1.26 in 2022, stating, “ the government's efforts to combat the declining birthrate have generally been one-off and symptomatic treatments”. According to future population projections published by the government's National Institute of Population and Social Security Research in April 2023, the total population in 2100 will be halved from 126.15 million in 2020. The aging rate has reached 40%, and the population continues to decline. This proposal presents four scenarios, including this case.

The ideal situation is for the birth rate to recover, and the aim is for the population to reach 80 million and the aging rate to be 30%. The birthrate needs to be raised to 1.6 by around 2040 and 1.8 by around 2050. If a society with a population of 80 million were to become a reality, the real GDP growth rate between 2050 and 2100 could be maintained at around 0.9%. They calculated that per capita GDP would be 2.5 times higher than if no strategy was adopted.

Hokkaido Intellect Tank website = Secretariate of the Population Strategy Council (in Japanese):
https://www.hit-north.or.jp/cms/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/01_teigen.pdf

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines collaborates with fertilizer giant Yara to build ammonia supply chain
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) announced on January 5 that it has signed a time charter contract for the ammonia transport vessel "Green Pioneer" with Yara Clean Ammonia Switzerland SA (YCAS), a subsidiary of Norwegian fertilizer giant Yara. The vessel has already been delivered to YCAS and will be used primarily for transporting ammonia in the Pacific region. MOL and Yara will begin collaborating on decarbonization projects, including ammonia, in 2022. The two companies aim to build an ammonia supply chain by building a long-term partnership in the clean ammonia field.

MOL is currently promoting initiatives with the aim of achieving net zero emissions in 2050. In particular, it has a proven track record of ammonia transportation, including participation in a clean ammonia production and transportation project in Louisiana, USA. Yara is the world's largest nitrogen fertilizer manufacturer, and is also engaged in a variety of initiatives in the production, sales, and marine transportation of ammonia.

MOL website:
https://www.mol.co.jp/en/pr/2024/24003.html

METI signs memorandum on energy transition with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan
On January 9, METI Minister Saito held an online meeting with Uzbekistan's Energy Minister Mirzamakhmudov and Kazakhstan's Energy Minister Satkaliev, and signed an intergovernmental memorandum on energy transition. During the meeting with the two countries, opinions were exchanged on bilateral cooperation in the economic and energy fields in order to give concrete form to the discussions in the "Central Asia + Japan Dialogue” and “Economic and Energy Dialogue”, which were established in September last year. 

The Central Asian region is rich in natural resources such as oil, natural gas, and minerals such as rare metals. There is also a lot of interest from Japanese companies, including trading companies that withdrew from Russian business due to the invasion of Ukraine. In September 2023, METI established a framework for regular dialogue with the five Central Asian countries of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan to support cooperation in decarbonization technology. Coordination is currently underway to conclude a similar memorandum of understanding with the remaining three countries. 

METI website (in Japanese):
https://www.meti.go.jp/press/2023/01/20240109005/20240109005.html
Same as above:
https://www.meti.go.jp/press/2023/01/20240109006/20240109006.html